The Beginning of the End
by Eniko
Summary: The only hope, Princess Kakyuu, faces the most fearsome growing power in the galaxy for the sake of her loved ones and the future. Minna no mirai no tame ni!


Email: MercenaryEniko@yahoo.fr  
Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi's characters and I are just playing, we'll all go home and put our things away when we're done. And "Star Gentle Creator" is what they used in the American translation of the manga. I like it better than "Star Gentle Uterus", it just sounds better that way, to me, in English.  
Distribution: Ask first, or else I will not be a happy camper!  
Feedback: I like feedback lots!

Smoke and a light scent of lilacs floated from an incense burner sitting on a table. The smoke, spectral and silky, caressed Princess Kakyuu's skin as if she was a delicate and fragile flower herself. Her dark read hair rested on the back of her throne; Her lachrymose, ruby eyes stared into space and the glossed over look let the Starlights know she was somewhere else, thinking of someone else. Sailor Star Fighter quietly approached her.  
  
"I feel it coming," Kakyuu said weakly; she felt so lost without her love. She caressed a ribbon of smoke with her fingers. It separated and curled as she let her wrist go limp on the arm rest of her throne; Galaxia had ruthlessly taken her Prince from her, to break her. Kakyuu was the only opposing force strong enough to take her down. The brightness of her star shone throughout the galaxy and she let her people down, "Fighter..." Fighter thought Kakyuu was addressing her, but to her disappointment, Kakyuu was still talking to herself, "Healer...... Maker..... This planet is all that's left to keep us safe.... She'll be here soon and I feel it.... doom..."  
  
"Princess...." Fighter felt a horrible ache; she wished she could lift the burden off Kakyuu's shoulders.  
  
"Fighter?" Kakyuu looked surprised that she had showed Fighter a weak face. She had to be strong for the girls and her people.   
  
Fighter kneeled, "Princess, please share your troubles with us. We're here for you always."  
  
Kakyuu stood, still staring past Fighter, "I need you girls to leave."  
  
Fighter was surprised, "P-Princess?" She stood.  
  
Kakyuu placed her hand on her forehead, "I don't want you to be hurt."  
  
Fighter gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "No, Princess- you need our help. It's our destiny to fight and we will protect you with our lives."   
  
"Fighter..." Kakyuu set her hand on top of Fighter's.  
  
Furrowing her eyebrows and slightly nodding her head, Fighter said, "Let's go, Princess, and face her."  
  
"For our galaxy... and the universe...." She paused, "Kinmoku Star Power! Make Up!"  
  
Feeling the pulse of Princess' energy, Healer and Maker ran into the throne room, "Fighter! Princess!"  
  
"Let's go, girls." Kakyuu looked determined to protect her star, no matter what it took, "We have the Light of Hope with us and our combined strength... We can do this!"  
  
  
"Hahaha! Do they really believe they can defeat me? Impudent...." Sailor Galaxia, disgruntled, sat on her own golden throne and summoned the soldiers to her part of the universe.  
  
"Please, Galaxia, let us deal with them." Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon bowed. The other Animamates stepped forward, "We sense your discontent, Galaxia," Sailor Lead Crow bowed, "As your leading Animamate I wish to make you proud by defeating these pests."  
  
"Quiet! I will handle these four directly. It'll be fun to steal their star seeds for my collection, especially after I killed her lover right in front of her! Hah!" Galaxia paused and narrowed her eyes. She stood from her throne and soon the Starlights and Sailor Kakyuu appeared in front of them.  
  
"What is this!?" Kakyuu quickly stood up and shot a look at Galaxia "All this stops here!"   
  
She quirked an eyebrow at Kakyuu, "Oh?" Letting a smirk escape her lips, she stepped forward and placed a hand on her hip, "You sound so confident after losing your beloved Prince."  
  
Kakyuu shirked. Galaxia hit below the belt with that remark and Kakyuu lunged at her, "_GALAXIAAA_!"   
  
"Princess!!" The Starlights cried out, fearing this bold move would be her downfall.  
  
Kakyuu raised her hand, "Star Lights Royal Straight Flush!" Cards flew at Galaxia and she calmly raised her arm to deflect them, flicking her wrist. Only one hit her, cutting a line along the arm that was up in the air, blocking the attack.  
  
She clenched her teeth, "_Give_ me your star seed!" Her bracelets glinted as she held them in front of her; a light came from each of them and the Starlights jumped in front of their Princess:

"Star Serious....!" "Star Gentle....!" "Star Sensitive...!!!"

A bright light flashed; the four of them seemed to disappear and reappear in a fraction of a second, "What?!" They yelled.  
  
"Is this the true power of the Light of Hope?" Maker asked.  
  
Healer held Kakyuu's hand, "Princess! You're all right?"   
  
"Yes...." She looked confused. Although she had heard all about the Light of Hope, she had never seen it before.  
"Ah..." Galaxia mused, "This may be tougher than I anticipated."  
Fighter stepped ahead of Kakyuu, "We have to work together, girls."  
"Yes, you're right...." Kakyuu looked to the ground.  
"So you still hold onto dreams and friendship?" Galaxia questioned, "Do you realize that all you are, all you _have_ to believe in, is your power?"  
"We are more than our star seed, Galaxia!" Kakyuu pleaded.  
"You wouldn't understand what it's like to have someone to give your life to!" Healer yelled.  
Galaxia took a step forward and the Starlights got closer to Kakyuu, "Your star seed is the only real thing. Your bodies are easy to remake," a star seed floated above her hand and glowed. It's glitter shone brightly and a sailor soldier appeared, then Galaxia obliterated any trace of her besides her star seed. She smiled, "To destroy.... Only with a true star seed, however, can you be reborn."  
"Enough!" Maker screamed. The sight was too much for her to bear, "Star Gentle Creator!"  
  
Galaxia, surprised, blocked just in time, "H-heh.... You still think you're right? You still feel just? I am the legendary sailor senshi! Death and Life are for me to give! Hahaha!" She smiled, "Galactica Inflation!"  
  
Kakyuu pushed Fighter aside as Maker and Healer looked on, shocked, their Princess took the full brunt of the attack. "Princess!" Healer and Maker grabbed her and supported her before she fell over.   
  
Fighter stood up, "You'll _pay_ for that!" She was breathing heavily. The anger seemed to pulse through her veins, "STAR SERIOUS.... LASER!!!" Fighter's teeth were bared, she clenched them as she firmly held her star shaped crystal weapon in front of her body, unwilling to budge for any reason. Galaxia retaliated with another Galactica Inflaction and knocked Fighter down.  
  
"Fighter!" The other girls yelled; Healer ran over to her.  
  
Seeing Fighter pushed back, Kakyuu whispered, "I can't allow this- this fighting.... to continue..."   
  
Maker helped her stand, "Princess..."  
  
"Galaxia.... Please.... Let's stop this fighting...." Kakyuu slowly walked toward her. The other three were ready to attack if necessary.  
  
Galaxia sneered, "What?"  
  
"Yes! We're all sailor senshi.... We can't fight like this.... It's not right. It's hurtful. We can get along! You can reverse all this! _Please_!" A tear fell from her eye. She thought of her love.   
  
Maker saw the look on Galaxia's face, "The Light of Hope really is with us....maybe.... just maybe.... this will work."   
  
Fighter's muscles tightened, ready to spring into action. Their Princess' shine was so warm and bright, but this change seemed so sudden. Looking over at her Princess, Fighter noticed that she was still slowly walking toward Galaxia, so trusting and loving, with her arms open as if she was about to embrace Galaxia.  
  
Kakyuu crossed her arms in front of her face, "Kinmoku Star Power!" A genial light surrounded her. A warm, red aura, "Don't you see, Galaxia? The love of our friends keeps us going. I want to protect those I love. I like their shine and I want to keep it bright!"  
  
Galaxia's eyes changed from a cold, piercing stare to a wide, accepting look, "Such a warm light..." She whispered.  
  
Fighter relaxed a little and so did Maker and Healer. The warm light of their Princess almost too much, their eyes started to tear up and they lent her their power, "Fighter Star Power..." "Maker Star Power..." "Healer Star Power...."  
  
Galaxia faultered and grabbed her head; acting quickly she used her bracelet, and two lights cut through Sailor Kakyuu. The other Starlights stopped dead in their tracks. When the reality of what just happened hit them, Fighter let out a piercing scream and let tears flow from her eyes. Sobbing, Maker and Healer ran to Kakyuu's side, "This can't be...." Fighter said in a weak, raspy voice.  
  
"Yes, your beloved Princess' star seed is mine now!"  
  
"That's not true!!!" Healer got up on shaky knees, "Give her back!!!" she screamed, "GIVE HER BACK!! STAR SENSITIVE INFERNOOO!!" Knocked away by Galaxia.  
  
Figher let out a guttural sob, "Princess..... Princess..... This can't be...." Her words becoming less and less clear as she spoke, she called out to the Light of Hope, "Please! Help us! Save our Princess!"  
  
Maker pleaded with a small voice as she held Kakyuu's hand, and they touched foreheads, "Help...."  
"It's ok.... Maker...."  
  
Maker looked up at her Princess' fading face, "But-"  
  
"We'll meet again.... The incense burner... It's just right there..... "  
  
Healer was troubled by her Princess' words, "She's almost gone..."  
  
Fighter could only cry, if she said anything, the emotion would take over and she would only sob. Remembering the lost look on her Princess' face from earlier, Fighter thought of the lilac smell always surrounding her and the smoke kissing her pale skin as she sat on her throne. She was about to lose that. It was disappearing in front of her eyes.   
  
_I can't give up on her._ She thought as she scooted over toward Healer and Maker, ignoring Galaxia's cocky laughter in the background. Watching them suffer seemed to be a delight.   
  
But to _everyone's_ surprise, a warm light embraced the Starlights and they found themselves in the Princess' throne room. Fighter sniffled and stood up, "Princess?!"  
  
Maker looked over at the table next to the throne, "It's gone."  
  
Healer, "The incense burner!"  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Fighter thought she saw a small person with an umbrella walk into the next room, "Who's there!"  
  
"What?" Maker stood up.  
  
Fighter, "I thought...."  
  
"Hey! I smell the scent of lilacs...." Healer closed her eyes.  
  
The other two stopped for a moment, "I smell it too..."  
  
Maker looked up and saw a glimmering, pink butterfly fly in a circle and disappear before it reached the doorway where the umbrella was, "Our Princess' energy...."  
  
"I felt it too...." Maker and Fighter said.  
  
"That's it then." Fighter stamped a fist into her other hand, "We have to find her."  
  
Maker and Healer nodded and the three girls stared, melancholy, at the throne, as the remaining ribbons of smoke dissipated.   



End file.
